In April 2022, the UK Government published details about how the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will work. The UKSPF is the UK Government replacement for EU Structural Funds and will deliver £2.6 billion of investment across the UK until March 2025.
Flintshire County Council has been allocated a total of £13.1 million to invest over three years. This is broken down into just under £11 million of core funding and £2.2 million for the national 'Multiply' programme.
The UKSPF will support the UK Government’s Levelling Up objectives, namely to:
- Boost productivity, pay, jobs and living standards by growing the private sector, especially in those places where they are lagging;
- Spread opportunities and improve public services, especially in those places where they are weakest;
- Restore a sense of community, local pride and belonging, especially in those places where they have been lost; and
- Empower local leaders and communities, especially in those places lacking local agency
To achieve this the UKSPF funding has three investment priorities:
- Community and Place
- Supporting Local Business
- People and Skills
The additional Multiply element seeks to improve adult numeracy skills.
North Wales Regional Investment Plan
Flintshire County Council, working alongside the other North Wales local authorities, submitted an Investment Plan to the UK Government on 1 August 2022 outlining opportunities, challenges and the key priorities that are relevant across North Wales. This regional approach will provide opportunities to share learning and best practice and identify areas for collaboration where greater benefits may be delivered more effectively across a wider geography.
Flintshire Perspective
Throughout 2022 the Council has been working with a range of organisations and key stakeholders which has helped to influence and shape the Investment Plan at a local level. A number of workshops have been held in relation to each of the investment priorities. These workshops and ongoing dialogue have identified local needs and recommended priorities for the funding:
- Support for town centre regeneration and street markets
- Creating and improving green spaces and green infrastructure
- Support for local arts, cultural, heritage and creative activities
- Investment in capacity building and infrastructure support for local civil society and community groups
- Contributing to tackling the cost of living crisis
- Improving digital infrastructure
- Improving tourist facilities
- Support for business innovation, learning and decarbonisation
- Supporting social businesses
- Providing support to those furthest from labour market
- Meeting local business skills needs
- Support for young people post-Covid
- Tackling mental ill-health
Any queries can be addressed to: Any queries can be addressed to: FlintshireSharedProsperityFund@flintshire.gov.uk